My Adventures @ The Frederic Fekkai Salon

So last week I had a wonderful opportunity to be a hair model at the Frederic Fekkai 5th Avenue Salon in NYC. I had no idea the salon was above the Henri Bendel store, so it was great to walk by and see all the new fall and winter pieces on display. Lots of expensive and shiny things. So I get upstairs and check in and was given a brown robe to wear. They even have coat check.

Copyright Patty Dukes

Copyright Patty Dukes

So I went for some highlights, nothing too crazy. Especially since I’ve gone completely natural. So a little of my hair history. I’ve never relaxed my hair but since I was young it was the norm around my Dominican and Puerto Rican family to use heat.. from either rollers, blow dryers and flat irons. The most I’ve seen was my hair being wavy. After I started doing Bikram Yoga and just letting my hair go about a year and half ago I noticed how curly my hair actually was! I never knew my texture or what my curl pattern was. I’m learning so much about my hair and other peoples hair. Thanks to blogs like Afrobella, HeyFranHey, Curly Nikki and Hairscapades. Their is a wonderful community online for women of color and I’m so happy to have found them. Nobody in my family has left their hair natural. If anything, I think that they think I’m a little crazy. It’s cool because I’m happy. I don’t see myself going back. Especially because I’ve grown to love my Bikram Yoga practice. In that heat and sweat – no way will a blow out survive. I had to give up the straight hair. Being Curly for me is working just fine, it took time to get used too and sometimes I still feel weird. I’m working on feeling “pretty” with my curly hair, even though with straight hair I noticed that I got more compliments. My hair was tired of the damage and I was tired of the heat and work it took to get it to look “nice”. Anyways, as I was chatting it up with Amanda ( I think that’s what her name was) my hair stylist at Fekkai, we talked about my hair. She agreed to keep it natural and just go for some simple highlights so it wouldn’t be hard to maintain. Mind you, this was after the Hurricane Sandy mess. She told me she lives in Westchester and had no power in her house. So she took her hubby and yorkies to a hotel. The fact that she was still working and helping me with my hair while she was going through all that was amazing. New Yorkers are fierce like that. No hurricane will stop us ladies from looking and feeling fly! So I thank her so much for making me feel welcomed and taken care of. Here are some pics from my adventure.

Copyright Patty Dukes

Copyright Patty Dukes

Copyright Patty Dukes

They had two lines that really interested me the ESSENTIAL SHEA and LUCIOUS CURLS… I went with the Shea. It smelled wonderful !

Copyright Patty Dukes

Copyright Patty Dukes

Copyright Patty Dukes

Copyright Patty Dukes

Copyright Patty Dukes

And don’t you love to read magazines while your hair is getting done.

I love reading about beauty products. =)

Copyright Patty Dukes

Copyright Patty Dukes

And Done! Some quick highlights with an overall gloss. Nothing too dramatic, but can you see how fluffy my curls look. Thanks to everyone at the Frederic Fekkai Salon for hooking me up. This process is usually around $275 and I spent the most $10. Pow! This around the way girl got a great deal right. Thanks FEKKAI !